Public attitudes to Genetically Modified (GM) crops and foods in China

Genetically-modified (GM) crops and foods are seen by many scientists, governments, industry actors, and international development institutions as vital to develop resilient agrifood systems and improve global food security, especially given the challenges posed by rising food demands from an increasingly urbanised and affluent global population, climate extremes, and scarcities of natural resources. However, despite significant enthusiasms, investments, and scientific breakthroughs, the widespread application of GM crops and foods is being challenged by unfavourable public attitudes to and acceptance of these innovations. Whilst, this has historically and primarily been a European phenomenon, recent studies indicate that the challenge is growing in emerging economies like China as well.

The aims of this PhD project are to identify the commonly held attitudes to various types of GM crops and foods in China, develop models that explain those attitudes, and cluster the public according to their attitudes and associated attributes. The research will draw on an interdisciplinary literature, focusing on a range of aspects, especially the role of rising affluence, changing societal values, and web-based information networks and online activism, in the construction of public attitudes to GM crops and foods in China.

The project will be supervised by a highly experienced and interdisciplinary team comprising staff members from NTU (UK) and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) – a premier research institute in China. The successful applicant will be a member of the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security research group within NTU and join a growing and vibrant postgraduate research community located at the beautiful rural campus of NTU.

Specific qualifications/subject areas required of the applicants for this project:
The applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in agricultural or environmental sciences (with significant social science components), social or environmental psychology, communication and innovation studies or a closely related discipline. A Master degree qualification with a Merit or higher grade would be an advantage, especially for applicants with a Second Class Honours or First degree. The applicants should have training on and experience of using quantitative and qualitative social research methods and the willingness and ability to undertake research fieldwork in China. The ideal candidate would also have excellent organisational and time management skills, and good verbal and written communications skills in English. Proficiency in the official Chinese language would be an advantage, but is not mandatory. Applicants with experience of living or working in China are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applicants whose first language is not English must have achieved an overall IELTS score of at least 6.5, with no less than 6.0 in any section of the test.

This award provides funding to cover UK/EU tuition fees and a tax-free stipend at RCUK rates for three years. International students from outside the UK/EU are eligible to apply, but they should be able to pay the gaps between the UK/EU and international tuition fees. This gap is likely to be in the region of £8,000 to £8,500 per year.

This studentship competition is open to applicants who wish to study for a PhD on a full-time basis only. The studentship will pay UK/EU fees (currently set at £4,195 for 2017/18 and are revised annually) and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (this is revised annually and is currently set at £14,553 for the academic year 2017/18) for up to three years. Applications from non-EU students are welcome, but a successful non-EU candidate would be responsible for paying the difference between non-EU and UK/EU fees. (Fees for 2017/18 are £12,900 for non-EU students and £4,195 for UK/EU students). The studentships will be expected to commence in October 2018.